Academic Program Overview
This academic program, offered by the College of Science and Technology at Temple University, consists of four graduate-level courses that are designed specifically for secondary educators who want to develop knowledge and skills for teaching computer science to students in grades 7-12.
With the successful completion of the Graduate Certificate in Computer Science Instruction, teachers will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the foundational ideas of computer science as part of a creative and/or problem-solving process that results in the creation of a computing artifact (e.g., a program). The content covered in this program aligns with the Praxis Computer Science Subject Test, which will be required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education for certification to teach Computer Science in Pennsylvania public schools. In addition, teachers will be equipped with knowledge of pedagogical strategies for broadening participation of underrepresented groups in computer science and will have developed a portfolio of instructional materials that can be used to teach computer science concepts in secondary education classrooms. The academic program can be completed over a 15 month period, and results in earning a graduate-level credential awarded by Temple University.
Graduate Certificate Program Coursework
The Graduate Certificate in CS Instruction at Temple University consists of four courses, which are offered through a hybrid online/on-campus format, serving to develop and maintain a cohesive cohort while making the program accessible to working teachers. The graduate certificate program is an official, credit-bearing academic program administered and taught by faculty from the Department of Computer and Information Sciences at Temple University. No prior computer science knowledge or advanced mathematics are required to enroll.
CIS 5701 Introduction to Teaching Computer Science Principles
This course provides students with a foundation in the concepts and computational thinking practices central to the discipline of computer science. The content in this course is organized around ideas that are foundational to the study of computer science: creativity, abstraction, data and information, algorithms, programming, and the global impact of computing. Creating computer programs that solve problems is facilitated by the use of abstractions which will be introduced and applied extensively in this course. By the end of the course, students will be able to apply creative processes, abstraction, and computational thinking skills to develop a computer program in order to solve a problem. In addition, students will engage in pedagogical content related to equitable and inclusive teaching of computer science principles in secondary education, developing teaching materials founded in these principals that will be workshopped with their peers. This course assumes no prior knowledge of computing. It is designed to support K12 teachers who are new to the computer science discipline and want to integrate computational thinking and computer science principles into their classroom teaching activities.
This course is typically offered in the fall as a 15-week hybrid course, with one 2.5 hour meeting held in the evening one night per week. Some elements, particularly in the first and closing week of the course, require in-person attendance — helping teachers to develop connections and familiarity with concepts and tools to support project-based learning. A maximum of 3 in-person dates are required, and are announced at the beginning of the course. Course start and end dates (and holidays) align with the Temple University academic calendar.
CIS 5702 Teaching Advanced Computer Science Principles
Building on the computational thinking concepts and practices learned in the previous course, this course will extend students’ knowledge of computational thinking, problem solving, and programming abstractions. Students will extend their knowledge and practice the use of simple algorithms as part of a computer program. In addition, students will extend their knowledge of basic types used to represent data in programming languages, including primitive data types, strings, classes, arrays, and streams. Students will also be introduced to more advanced programming language concepts (e.g., parameter passing techniques) and basic object-oriented programming abstractions (e.g., classes, objects, inheritance, and polymorphism). Searching and sorting algorithms will be covered, with a focus on exposing students to different algorithm design strategies (iterative vs. recursive). As with the previous course, this course also offers students the opportunity to extend their portfolio of teaching materials that they can use in their own classrooms studying pedagogical practices that support active learning, universal design, and equitable and inclusive teaching practices.
This course is typically offered in the spring as a 115-week hybrid course, with one 2.5 hour meeting held in the evening one night per week. Some elements, particularly in the first and closing week of the course, require in-person attendance — helping teachers to develop connections and familiarity with concepts and tools to support project-based learning. A maximum of 3 in-person dates are required, and are announced at the beginning of the course. Course start and end dates (and holidays) align with the Temple University academic calendar.
CIS 5703 Teaching Computing Systems
This course provides an introduction to computing systems with a strong focus on computing architectures, networking, information technology and the Internet as well as a focus on the impact computing systems have made on our society and the implications therein. Abstraction is a common thread at all levels of computing. Computers and networks are no different. Therefore, this course delves into the role of abstraction inside computers and networks. Topics introduced include software applications, operating systems, programming languages, computer architecture and hardware. Networks are also detailed with specific focus on the Internet. Layered network architecture, types of connectivity, addressing, packet switching, routing, reliable data transmission, and network security are all discussed. Because of the enormous impact the Internet has made on our globe and our societies, the course will discuss Internet security, privacy, modern networked applications, and social implications and ethics therein. The course will also complete work from previous courses, building out each student’s teaching portfolio fully in preparation for their certification. Students will continue to engage in pedagogical content related to equitable, active and inclusive teaching that they can leverage to build a teaching portfolio that supports the recruitment, engagement and retention of traditionally underrepresented groups in computer science.
This course will be offered in the summer in the Summer I session as an 6 week hybrid course, with one 2.5 hour meeting held in the evening one night per week. Some elements, particularly in the first and closing week of the course, are in-person — helping teachers to develop connections and familiarity with concepts and tools to support project-based learning. A maximum of 3 in-person dates are required, and are announced at the beginning of the course. Course start and end dates (and holidays) align with the Temple University academic calendar.
CIS 5704 Implementing Strategies to Successfully Broaden Participation in K12 Computer Science
This course will combine lecture instruction with significant field work. Students in the class will develop evidence-based strategies for administrative adoption of and student recruitment and retention in K12 computer science curriculum that promotes diversity, equity and inclusion. Students will develop, implement and assess these strategies according to the context of their school and its identified population that can be readily applied by teachers and administrators. These strategies will incorporate detailed plans for motivating, engaging, and retaining students and faculty according to the interests of their district’s population. They will also address the need for representation in recruiting materials and engagement of multiple stakeholders (teachers, counselors, families, and peers). These strategic plans will be reviewed by instructors, school district stakeholders and peers prior to implementation in the school setting. Feedback will allow for modification of the strategies. Students will serve as peer reviewers for these strategic plans as well.
This course is typically offered for 6 weeks in Summer II as a hybrid course, with one 2.5 hour meeting held in the evening one night per week. An in-person presentation at the PECSI Instructional Showcase is a required component of the course. The date for the PECSI Instructional Showcase will be in mid-August, and the final date will be announced by May 1.